Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing requirements on responsible tax behaviour into government procurement policy.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Government requires good tax compliance behaviour in procurement. Procurement Policy Note 03/14 sets out the scope, background and detailed guidance for the policy of using the procurement process to promote tax compliance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0314-promoting-tax-compliance
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is responsible for authorising pay rises of more than one per cent in (a) his Department and (b) HM Treasury; and what procedure is followed when it is proposed to grant a pay rise of more than one per cent to an adviser.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Salaries for special advisers appointed after the election have been set to reflect an individual’s role and responsibilities. As with other public servants, any future increases in special adviser salaries will be subject to the annual 1% cap for four years from 2016-17.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department plans to accept the recommendations of the Commission on Freedom of Information that the Freedom of Information Act should be extended to private companies which hold public contracts.
Answered by Matt Hancock
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, whether he plans to attend the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May 2016.
Answered by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton - Foreign Secretary
I welcome the UN Secretary-General's leadership in convening the World Humanitarian Summit which comes at a critical time given that there are currently more displaced people globally than at any time since the Second World War. We want to see a renewed commitment to the protection of civilians in conflict, a stronger focus on protecting and empowering women and girls, smarter financing, and a new approach to building resilience to natural hazards before they take place.
No decision has yet been taken about the composition of the UK's delegation to the Summit.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to start the consultation on introducing legislative change to require transparency of the beneficial ownership of all UK properties.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Further to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member in November to UIN 17111, I can confirm that a consultation will be launched shortly.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what criteria and pay grades his Department uses to decide on pay rises for political aides and special advisors.
Answered by Matt Hancock
All public servants, including special advisers, are subject to an overall 1% pay remit.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the exemption of political aides and special advisers from the one per cent public sector pay rise limit.
Answered by Matt Hancock
All public servants, including special advisers, are subject to an overall 1% pay remit.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to launch its planned consultation on increasing the transparency of property ownership by foreign companies.
Answered by Matt Hancock
In due course.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 12011, when the consultation on making property ownership by foreign companies more transparent will begin.
Answered by Matt Hancock
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 14 October 2015 to UIN: 12011.